A Powhiri for Wairakei Students.

Today we hosted a powhiri for a group of children from Wairakei School. Isabel and Samantha did the karanga to call them towards the classroom.

As they replied and approached, Michael, Zachary and Flynn began the Haka Powhiri and we all joined in with this rousing welcome. Once they had come in and taken their seats Michael said his whaikorero. To support him we sang the school action song Anei Ra te Kura Hato Opani. Zachary was next with his whaikorero which we supported with the waiata Ehara i te mea.

It was now Wairakei's turn to respond with whaikorero and waiata.  Everybody joined in the line to hongi our guests and make them part of us for the rest of the gathering.

We were fortunate to have some of the Kapa Haka group perform some of their items.
We had all worked up an appetite by now so we went back to Room 16 for some kai. There was a wonderful range of food for all. As the rain and sleet had now ended, all the tamariki were able to go out into the playground for a quick play and look around before the Wairakei group went back to their school.
Room 16 feel very lucky that we have such a supportive buddy class in Room 11, nga mihi nui ki a koutou. We would also like to thank e Pa for helping us prepare for this experience.

El Gregoe the Magician

On Monday the Year Three classes went to a special magic show in the hall. We were celebrating the good learning and behaviour we have been doing this term. Soon we will post some writing about and photos of this great show. Our own Morgan was one of the stars of the show.
As well as some excellent tricks El Gregoe had some fine messages relating to the values to share with us.

People in Pukekohe are Thinking of Us

Look at this beautiful card we got from a child at Valley School in Pukekohe. We felt touched that people as far away as Pukekohe were thinking of us.

Manaakitanga from the Wider St Albans Community

What a lovely treat all the children at St Albans got from the team at Brumby Bakers at Edgeware!

Thank you for your generosity!

Another Sign Summer's On the Way

Today we went cricketing. Two people from Cricket Canterbury came to enthuse us about cricket. 

After tuning up our throwing and catching skills we split into two teams for a game of Speed Cricket. One team was batting and when the ball connected with the bat it sounded like a bomb! The bat made a hard jolt like an earthquake on your hands. Once you’d hit the ball you had to run around a cone and back to your team, running behind the wickets (except that most people forgot the BEHIND bit!). Next you had to pass the bat to the next player in the line. If the batter missed the ball then that team had to give up one bat. There were three bats altogether. Everyone had a turn at batting.

Meanwhile the other team were fielding. When the batters hit the ball the fielders had to catch the ball and send it back to the bowler. Everybody chased the ball. We looked like a swarm of bees in pursuit of a honey thief. Once the successful bee had thrown the ball back to the bowler the other bees spread out again.

We all had great fun batting, bowling and fielding. Each of us got given a bag of goodies about cricket. We wish the guys from Canterbury Cricket would come back!

Welcome Back

It was lovely to be together again today. We heard lots of stories about people's experiences during and after the earthquake.
This afternoon we talked about the good things that happened and how they fit in with the things we value at St Albans.
We'll be busy this week making posters about the author or illustrator we are most interested in.

Have you seen the cellos and guitars we made using vivids, dye and observational drawing skills? 

A Field of Particularly Beautiful Daffodils!

Daffodils by William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling leaves in glee;
A poet could not be but gay,
In such a jocund company!
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

Treasure at the Park

Take a look at this seed case I found at the park today. Isn't nature amazing? I also found a chestnut that had sprouted, I've never seen that before. Unfortunately the shoot got knocked off before I got a photo.